(File photo)

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 3) — Jeepney, taxi, and TNVS drivers want to raise fares in the wake of the impending fuel price hike as a result of the tax reform law.

Under the recently approved law, a ₱2.50 centavo excise tax is imposed on diesel, and gasoline tax will increase to ₱7 from ₱4.35.

Grab Philippines said it shared the sentiment of its drivers – there is a need to increase the fares due to the impending oil price hike.

Grab Philippines Country Head Brian Cu said they will file a petition before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) this week to allow them to increase the ordinary fare of their Grabcar services by 6 percent to 10 percent, once fuel prices are adjusted according to law.

Cu said, "Once we start shortchanging drivers...they might end up driving faster, they might end up resorting to canceling trips or rejecting trips that they feel lugi sila dahil sa gas."

[Translation: Once we start shortchanging drivers...they might end up driving faster, they might end up resorting to canceling trips or rejecting trips that they feel they won't earn from because of gas.]

Cu explained, the six to 10 percent increase on the base fare will compensate for the roughly nine percent hike in additional expenses of drivers from the fuel price hike and higher prices of automobile spare parts.

"If a fare adjustment is not made, this would put in question their income on a monthly basis and thus further potentially reduce the number of TNVS vehicles plying the streets because they would be forced to find other jobs that are better paying," he said.

TNVS refers to transport network vehicle services, the term used for vehicles booked by passengers via ride-sharing apps.